This Cornell & Diehl blend hearkens back to porch settin' and checkers playin': Easy Times. Red Virginia is combined with dark-fired Kentucky, Burley, and a bit of Latakia for a classic, laid back American English mixture.

Notes: GL Pease noted that the famed 20 year-old Kentucky stock, which were shared between GLP and C&D, was exhausted sometime in 2012, and since then that blends using a different, though exceptionally similar, supply of Kentucky.

This is a truly amazing blend. The flavor of slightly sweet and nutty burley takes the lead, but the latakia adds just the right amount of smokiness to keep it interesting. The body is creamy smooth throughout. Easy Times burns cool and leaves little to no tongue bite. In fact, I find that it leaves a dry (not coating) and very pleasant aftertaste. I enjoy this blend clear down to white ash, so it's great for breaking in a pipe.

Cigarette smokers should know that they can puff more aggressively on this blend without their pipe turning into a torch or their tongue swelling. But smoking it cool brings out the variety of flavors and makes the bowl that much more enjoyable. I have smoked this in a newer Rhodesian that I am still breaking in, and by the third bowl (following Frog Morton Across the Pond) it was heavenly. I've also smoked it in a brand new cob, and it was even better, to my amazement.

I can't say enough good things about this blend. It is a masterstroke, but needs to be smoked medium to cool for full effect. I will definitely be ordering more.

Ugly and dirty looking in the pouch... sort of a long, dark pencil shaving appearance. But in the pipe, this is a nice one! The Kentucky plays the lead role, with the VA and latakia in the background. There is just a touch of sweetness and smokiness and all this huge burley flavor. C&D burleys tend toward the "earthy" side of things rather than the "nutty", in my experience. This tends to make for a more robust smoke and, quite frankly, Easy Times is not what I would have named this blend. I wouldn't care to smoke this all day long. But at the right times, this is a winner.

This is a highly non-complex blend with excellent full flavor and a nice punch to it. If you love burley, you have to give this one a try. Runowski and Tarler's genius with the burley leaf is amazing!

Tin: Smells like stale cardboard and bread. Quite dry and not sticky. Mahogany and dark tan wide ribbon cut, with a small amount of black chunks.

Taste & Aroma: The taste and aroma are a muted red VA-burley.

It smokes fairly cool, meaning the bowl did not get hot. There was a noticeable lack of even the slightest hint of moisture. ET smokes about the driest of any tobacco I have ever smoked. It smokes incredibly well, down to a fine ash, and absolutely biteless.

Nicotine: That rat, Mr. Nic O'Tine, came creeping around last night. Forget about the velvet hammer; try a 10-pound sledge. Nicotine is a rodenticide.

Room Note: It leaves a lingering, stale, red VA-burley scent, and that is a bit surprising, by contrast, in that ET has correspondingly less taste and aroma, compared to a noticeable room note.

Overall: ET smokes cool and dry. The contrast between the taste and aroma, and strength, the ratio of aroma to nicotine, is remarkable, maybe the greatest I have ever experienced. I just wish it had more taste and aroma. 2.5 stars.

C&D easy times (please note that the blend dose not have the 20 year old Kentucky but C&D states a similar quality is used) none the less a great smoke from C&D with red Virginia bringing great sweetness a little smoky from the mild addition from the Latakia and a good Nicotine hit from the fire cured Kentucky burley. A great creamy smoke that when left to dry for an hour smokes easy and cool.

Easy Times is very appropriately named. It's easy on the nicotine, easy on the Latakia, easy on the Virginia and easy on the flavor. The Kentucky leaf kept me interested for a bowl or two before I donated the remainder of the tin to my pipe club's tobacco bar. I prefer something that demands my palate's attention.

This tobacco is perfect for a Summer day. It is light and balanced. No one tobacco dominates and the taste is a combination of a little sweet and a little smoke. The room aroma is of a fire fueled by pine or balsam. There are some dark notes, but they are few and far between. The flavor stays the same from first light to last puff. There is no tongue bite and the smoke is plentiful without being too rich. This really would be the perfect tobacco to smoke while playing checkers because it is a nice flavor, but you will not need to give it your full attention. I also think this would be a good introduction to those curious to try a blend with Latakia. For the veteran smoker, this blend will provide a nice and easy smoke for sitting on the porch with a fruity Ale or even sweet tea. The tin I got was a little dry so some rehydration may be in order. Oh, and the nicotine hit is mild. The ash burns down to a fine gray. Unless those around you like the smell of traditional tobacco, this will not win you any admirers, however.

The first thing I noticed when I removed the lid was a huge piece of tobacco that looked like the cap from a cigar! O.K., I can accept that, but I can't accept the dryness of the blend. One star went before a bowl had even begun!

The smoke: I can see how many folks will find this brilliant, but the appeal somewhat misses me. The boldest of all the tobaccos is the Kentucky, for the initial quarter it's a little too much for me. After a quarter of a bowl the Latakia becomes more of a flavour; not a 'driving force', but a tasty seasoning. The Virginia sits WAY behind, struggling like anything to compete with the brash Kentucky. The last quarter tastes a bit more like an 'English', compared to the first. Although the Latakia's nowhere near the strength of something like, say, Sam Gawith Balkan Flake, the Kentucky begins to subside a bit. Due to the dryness the burn is terrible, hot and fast, and I also get some bite from it.

The nicotine: strong. The room-note: strong.

I'm not a fan, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt by awarding two stars, not one!

This blend is just a good old fashioned American blend reminiscent of what my grandfather smoked. Ok, he smoked Prince Albert but he would've loved this. The Kentucky burley is the predominant player with the Virginia and Latakia staying in the background but definitely making their presence known. A relatively dry tobacco with no flavorings to muddy the waters. It's just a good smoke to enjoy with a cup of hot tea on a winter night with a good book.

If you like your tobacco strong, earthy and not too sweet, this one has you covered. Not as smoky as I expected given the components. The Latakia is light and provides a little woodiness to the Kentucky's strong earthiness. Smokiness is on the mild side with only a slight acrid note that can be easily ignored. The Virginias are very light offering only a hint of sweetness and no flavor. I can see that this would be handy as a quick fix when you don't have time for a full bowl. It'll get the job done with just a few hits. I don't think I would like to smoke large bowls of this ever, but a medium sized bowl every now and then would be welcome. This is a good one.

Body is full (strong). Nic is medium to strong. Taste is medium to full. No added flavorings. Burns beautifully. Same in briar or cob.

This is a nice blend but nothing "wows" me. The latakia is very very light, which is OK with me, unless I'm in the mood for latakia. Seems more like a Virginia blend to me. It is, however, nice and strong. That's a plus.

Very good but... 1) the content of my tin was too dry, although I must say it burns out just perfectly.. so maybe it was intentional. 2) latakia is really just an idea here.. Wonderful and rich smoke to me, lovely. Reminds me CD Brian Fox, a lot, must be the same burley . Will buy again.

I did enjoy this, I felt it was similar to Sunday Picnic in its basic form, but a slightly different character. Either that or my pipe was heavily ghosting the Sunday Picnic.

It was a most enjoyable smoke, the smoke was a bit nippy at the tounge, and was much warmer (temp.) than Sunday. No real flavor popped out, it was a nice afternoon smoke while walking along the hudson. Temp 80deg at 78% hum. Felt like 90 at 90%......

In the tin, this tobacco has a dark appearance (medium brown and black). It smells like dark chocolate of all things! This is not a flavoring, but a product of the burley, virginia, and latakia aromas.

Easy Times packs easily into any size bowl. It does not light easily! I think this may be the fault of the cut, as the strands of medium-brown tobacco are somewhat thick. They actually unfurl and try to "crawl" out of the bowl when lit! It's actually very entertaining at first, but becomes somewhat frustrating after you've tamped it a million times. It burns to a mottled, dark-gray ash.

This is one strong tobacco! There is nothing subtle here. The virginia and burley play nicely together, providing a sweet, hayish flavor. The latakia moves in and out, adding a grilled-steak flavor. The aroma is pure tobacco.

If this were a beverage, it would be Jack Daniel's. Not the best out there, but a good, strong, satisfying drink nonetheless. Recommended.

A stunning blend...Craig at his very best. I aged this tin for over 3 years before giving it a try. It was worth it. I'm not usually a lover of American English blends, by that I mean one containing both burley and latakia. But this one may cause me to re-evaluate that position.

The sweetness leads the way, but unlike a straight Virginia there's substantial body and smoothness with an additional smokey quality. Quite a feat, really. As others have said, smoke it slowly and you'll be rewarded with some wonderful flavors. The burn is effortless and without any tongue-bite whatsoever.

I wonder if the Kentucky burley is the same one used in Pease's Cumberland.

This is a decent, smokable American classic blend that packs easy, smokes cool and burns clean. It has a decent taste as you would expect from this type of tobacco. There isn't anything that stands out about this blend as being outstanding or bad. It's just a good smoke and does what it is intended to do. Bite potential seemed to be minimal when smoked properly.

I have a friend (an admitted nic fiend) who swears by this stuff, and he gave me a sample. The first few puffs were pleasant, kind of a fuller-bodied and somewhat sweeter than Carter Hall. But about a third of the way in, WHAMO! In comes the nic! I was dizzy by the time I hit midway through. It took all my resolve to finish the bowl, and I stumbled back into the house like a drunken man. I'm sure it tasted good to the last puff; but by that time the nicotine had smacked me so hard I didn't care what it tasted like.

Against my better judgment I tried a second bowl. All of the sweetness was gone; I smoked it in the same pipe, but this time all I tasted was ash. After the nic hit this time I dumped it out.

I know many love this blend, and the burley tastes great (when it wants to). For that I add a star. But I would caution you--if you're not the type who can tolerate a LOT of nicotine, like smoking three Marlboro Reds one after another, stay away!

I normally like traditional American blends, including those with latakia, but this wasn't very satisfying to me. The taste, aroma, everything, is like hearing your favorite song being played on your neighbor's stereo -- you could enjoy it if the sound wasn't so muted by the wall. I know this blend's name is "Easy Times," but I don't think "easy" should necessarily equal "boring." On the plus side, what flavor I could detect was very nice, and it seems as though the tobacco quality is good. Others will probably like this blend more than I did.

Now here's a straighforward and satisfying burley blend. There's latakia in it but it's used more for background flavor and only becomes prominent at beginning of the bowl and during relights. As the tobacco burns the latakia recedes and the nutty roundness of the Kentucky burley becomes dominant. Easy Times is an apt name for this blend because it demands so little on your part, both in preparation and during smoking. And like Martha Stewart would say..."that's a good thing."

ET seems to gather a little strength through the bowl but it's not dramatic; it holds up a medium-bodied front throughout. It burns coooly and produces little moisture.

I'm smoking this in a smaller (Group3-4) pipe and as the last bowl of the evening, it seems like a good cap to a day of fuller latakia-heavy blends. I keep on passing my nose over the bowl while it burns because it has such an appealing aroma, smooth, not acidic or ashy. I could easily see myself smoking this more often, especially as a change of pace, or when I'm not quite sure what I want.

Addendum 10/9/06: I really missed the boat here, not mentioning the red Virginia in this blend. It's really apparent when first lighting-up but also plays genially with the burley and latakia. Still liking this stuff.

Great stuff. Its like grandpas blend. Latakia is extremely light, The burleys and Virginia run the show. Nutty, just enought sweet to balance the blend. STRONG!.....A Med to larg bowl will bowl you over. I just got a freehand cob from Frenchy, and its my Easy Times, Junkyard dog pipe. A definate doer- But give it some respect.

I generally smoke English/Balkan blends or Virginias of character and strength. When I ordered my sample pack, I thought I'd give this a try - at least is did not have any Cavendish in it... This has been a pleasant surprise. There are no pretenses of sophistication here but a clean, well burning roustabout of a blend that truly should be enjoyed in a cob - maybe even sitting on a cracker barrel in a general store. Now I know why the guys on the tin label are smiling. Wish I'd known about this one sooner as I see it disappearing faster than some of the others in my order. The nutty burley is sweetened by the virginia and the latakia gives an otherwise non-extraordinary blend a rogue character that plays with the senses. Is it truly great? I think not, but still a worthwhile change of pace as a lighthearted character on a stage where others occupy a more central role. Will I buy more? You never can tell.......... OK, it did not take much time and thought because I've obtained more of this stuff. It kinda grows on me.

Cornell & Diehl's Easy Times is mostly made up of cheap red Virginia. There is a touch of burley and pinch of Latakia. The other thing that I found as I pulled the tobacco from the tin was a long white hair. I wonder who was blending this stuff the day that their hair fell into the batter. Easy Times is so foul and so bloody disgusting that I probably should have put the aged hair in my bowl--it certainly would not have hurt. This weed smoked so harsh that it made me choke and cough until I felt ill. That is curious because it is an otherwise mild tobacco if the nose remains uninvolved. Stay away from this rubbish as it is truly revolting low-quality tobacco.

This blend has a darker mottled appearance in the tin, with nothing really bright. Typical, in my experience, C&D cut tobacco consisting of very broad cut ribbon with lots of loose large pieces, and chunks. This no doubt contributes to the coolness of the smoke.

Have smoked a 2 oz. tin of this in various pipes, and it smokes well in everything I have tried it in, although I prefer it in larger bores for the increased taste. Smokes cool, with no bite in everything.

I find this to be a very flavorful blend, and to me the Va. is what stands out in flavor, with the burley providing a solid fullness. The latakia provides a distant smokey background, and is definitely in the background on this one.

I am very picky about a med/mild Latakia blends and this one is subtle but very flavorful and unique with the wonderfully different aged, cured, Burley. Every time I smoke this it gives me a new surprise, a new hint of something else that it has to offer I did not catch, or notice, the last time. A lot of fun.

It burns like a dream, a mark of C&D bends I think, and only needs light tamping, again I think common of C&D blends. How one blends something that is both sweet and has the flavor of a clean tobacco all at the same time just baffles me, but I am not going to complain. The sweetness is not syrupy or even prevalent over the tobacco flavor in the blend like a more heavily Burley blend. I think it is as much from the Va? than from the Burley. Though there is a velvety smoothness that I am sure comes from the aged fire cured KY Burley. There is body here from the Latakia a ?different? body, more on the rear of the palate, not as heavy, a very refreshing surprise. The Va? and Latakia in this blend are not as ?smoky? as one would think, being predominant, but there is a woodsy quality halfway to the end of the bowl, but you have to wait for it and it &, again, it does not hit you over the head any more does the nutty quality, that age makes a lovely difference.

This is a beautiful, well-balanced, blend that goes well in a large pipe. If for nothing else you must smoke it for the chance to taste that aged KY Burley, it really gets you early on in the bowl and is delicious.

I had no trouble lighting it, keeping it lit, smoking it to the bottom, worrying about moisture, and the room note was not unpleasant, as I was told. I usually smoke very bold blends, this was a much appreciated wonderful change. An outstanding smoke for breaking in a new pipe, I would like to add. Thank you Frenchy for you kind large sample. (I am gonna? have to stop saying I am not a fan of Burley? this is getting sad.) Namaste?

This is another of the Americanized English blends in the C&D arsenal. The burley is up front with the Latakia on its heels. The VA peeks out from the background. The Latakia seemed more pronounced in Easy Times than in other of C&D?s American English blends I have smoked but maybe that?s just my palate. Because of this, ET would not be an all day smoke for me; I would find it better suited for the cooler months.

A cigarette is to be smoked. A cigar is to be enjoyed. A pipe is to be savored.

Too much Latakia to be a favorite or an all-day smoke for me. The Latakia is a very fine leaf indeed. Very different from the usual English blends. The Burley is perhaps what makes Easy Times unique. And yes it is strong, so be forewarned if you can't tolerate much nicotene. Very smooth and enjoyable.

I had never tried a good Burley blend. I had the "burley, drugstore blend mentality". As per the recommendation from fellow reviewers, I have now tried about three excellent Burley blends. I also live where it gets very hot and humid in the summer months, and a lighter blend is quite refreshing. Cornell and Diehl has hit a home run with Easy Times. It is a nice looking ribbon cut in the tin. This blend packs and burns great in anything but I find I prefer it in medium to large bowl pipes. It is Mahogany and red in the tin and smells wonderful. The Virginia lends a slight sweetness while the Latakia and Burley produce a smooth creamy smokiness that is truly enjoyable. This blend will not bite or burn hot as long as you are careful. 4 out of 4 on this one and I cant wait to try more Burley!!!

Apearance and Tin Aroma: Mostly mohagany to red leaf. Specks of darker leaf here and there. Smellss like delicious red VA with a good amount of the burley aroma also evident.

Packing and Lighting: both were easy with the moisture perfect out of the tin. 2-3 lights max.

Initial Flavor: sweet, red VA, but also smoky from the Kentucky and Latakia.

Mid-bowl: This is a VA/Burley lovers delight. I love the wonderful interplay between the leaves. Very robust in flavor with the latakia and kentucky working as a charmed condiments.

Bottom of Bowl: A surprising build up of strength. Nicotine quantity surprised me a few times. Burns to a dry mottled ash.

Overall: While this is a change of pace blend for me, it is a delicious, high quality offering for the VA/burley lover. The complexity is amazing from the seemingly simple individual elements. The aftertaste is spectacular as well, with ocassional bursts of sweetness as your saliva breaks down the residue left in your mouth. I will definitely keep a few tins of this blend around. You do not have to worry about tongue-bite either with this blend as it offers plenty of flavor at slow to medium puffing. This blend worked best for me in big pipes, group 5 and bigger. Thanks again C&D!

I should start by saying that I'm a big fan of heavy Latakia and Balkan blends. Usually, the stouter, the better. C&D Pirate Kake and GL Pease Odyssey are among my favorites, for example.

It gets pretty warm in Texas for a goodly part of the year, though, and sometimes the palate wants something lighter. Burley is my choice, as it is the choice of many warm-weather smokers. In looking for the perfect Burley blend, one is naturally drawn to the American/English blends that C&D have become so known for.

I have smoked 8 or 9 tins of Easy Times now, and it still has the ability to be somewhat surprising to me. Yes, Burley is a major player here, but the Red Virginia sweetness plays well with the leathery Latakia, both weaving in and out of the nutty bitterness that the Burley provides. The flavor is reminicent of GL Pease Cumberland with a Latakia kick.

Easy Times can be rather picky about the pipe it likes, so trying it in a number of pipes can be a rewarding experience.

Packing is also important with this blend. It has the tendency to burn too hot if not packed correctly, so I suggest the Franck method of packing to get all that this one has to offer.

The high amount of Red Virginia in this blend also makes it a prime candidate for aging. I have found that even six month makes a big difference.

The only thing keeping this from being a superb all-day smoke is the price. In this class I would recommend another C&D/Runowski effort, Morley's Best.

Highly recommended for the Burley lover. Recommended for the English smoker for a change of pace.

I bought a tin of Easy Times based on the above review. It is not too Latakia laden! A little Red virginia thrown in. I mostly taste the exquisite fire cured burley to be honest which is rather potent in the nicotine department. Like the tin artwork shows, maybe you should smoke this blend doing something safe. Like playing checkers. Tin aroma is pure latakia, so it scared me at first but alas Easy Times is easy going....

I have smoked several of the C&D bulk burleys and enjoy all of them. This C&D burley is no exception. It is one of my favorites. One difference between this and the bulk burleys is that the physical characteristics of the tobacco look more consistent. The blend is cut in a fine ribbon with little dust or sticks.

It is packed (very!) tightly into a small tin and the moisture level is on the dry side - perfect for smoking - when it is opened. The taste is of high-quality burley, rounded out and mellowed by the added latakia and Virginia. It tastes slightly musty, rather than sweet, with a slightly bitter burley edge that gets stronger later in the bowl. It is very satisfying, with a taste that does not get tiresome for me and with a moderate-to-strong nicotine load.

The only reason I gave this three stars instead of four is that it is substantially more expensive than the C&D bulk blends that are comparable to this one. I definitely will try this one again; my tin disappeared quickly.

Easy Times is a mixture that Bob Runowski created for the purpose of an all day smoke. Such things are hard to come by, it seems to me, but Easy Times is a great example of an "all-day" smoke. The latakia plays a supporting role in this blend. Therefore, the latakiaholics will no doubt find this lacking as the latakias are gently measured so as to be condimental. I cannot for the life of me understand why a person would want to smoke blends over-laden with condiments (like latakia) any more than I could understand why a person submerges their french fries with ketchup. This mixture majors in wonderfully rich burlies and semi-sweet virginias. It is a delight to smoke. I smoked more of this tobacoo in 2003 than all but three others in my TAD cabinet. I love this stuff. Unless you love ketchup dipped in french fries, you will as well.

Easy Times is yet another fine example of a unique blend from a master tobacco blender. It is a different type of smoke than my usual rotation of English/Balkan/Virginias, and so it has taken me a bit of time to warm up to the blend and develop an appreciation for it's character.

Upon opening the tin, the aroma is quite inviting and the Latakia is most noticable. The cut is a medium ribbon, and the colors range from light to medium brown w/ about 25% darker leaf showing. Moisture content was good, although I feel that a little drying will result in a smoother smoke.

Upon lighting up, the initial flavor is good; Latakia and burley mostly w/ the the Virginia providing a pleasant background, but with very little of the residual sweetness that I was expecting. Mid bowl, the burley turns nutty and balances out the smoky component nicely. By the end of the bowl, the flavor has developed towards a smoky creaminess w/ little or no trace of Virginia left at the finish.

I have no trouble lighting or keeping this blend lit, and it smokes well right down to the last bit in the bottom of the bowl. The room aroma is not the most pleasant to the uninitiated; my wife won't come outside when I smoke this one and says that it smells like burning leaves. Oh well, more for me...

As with many burley blends, this tobacco definately needs to be smoked slowly. Puffing too quickly, especially in the last 2/3 of the bowl, will result in a harsh bitterness. Gently sipping at this one provides the pleasant goodness described above. Overall, my impression is a different type of smoke; full bodied but not intense. I find this to be a nice change of pace on occasion.